Bush makes homecoming with Jets

Monday

Dec 16, 2013 at 12:23 AM

BY MIKE DUPREZThe Dispatch

CHARLOTTE | Josh Bush enjoyed coming home Sunday even if the second-year New York Jets special teams player and backup safety would have preferred a different result on the field.It was the first time the former West Davidson and Wake Forest star played in an NFL game in his home state.“It's always good to come back home,” Bush said. “This was my first time playing the Panthers in Carolina. Obviously, we need a better outcome. But, you know, it's always good when your family can come see you play.”The Panthers beat the Jets 30-20 to move into a tie for first place in the NFC South.It would have been easy to imagine Bush needing to request hundreds of tickets for family and friends making the short trip from Davidson County. But that wasn't the case.“About 15,” Bush said. “A lot of people actually already had season tickets,” Bush said. “So it wasn't too bad.”One of the people who came from the West Davidson family was athletic director Dale Barnes, who was Bush's coach when he played quarterback for the Green Dragons.“It's great to see one of your kids make it,” Barnes said. “It's even better because Josh is such a good kid to make it.”Bush was one of the Jets' captains for Sunday's game."That was a classy thing for (Jets coach) Rex Ryan to do," Barnes said. "You don't see that a lot in the NFL."And Bush played a lot. He's a part of each special team unit — punting and kickoffs — and made a tackle in the third quarter, limiting the Panthers' Kenjon Barner to a 17-yard kickoff return. It was Bush's 16th tackle of the season.Bush also lines up at safety in the Jets' goal-line package and was in on several snaps Sunday.“It was nice to see him get to play some safety,” Barnes said.The 5-11, 205-pound Bush is listed for now on the Jets depth chart as a second-team safety behind eight-year veteran Dawan Landry. The other starting safety is 12-year veteran Ed Reed, who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens last season and has 62 career interceptions.Right now, Bush is making the bulk of his contributions to the Jets on special teams and he's fine with that.“I love it,” Bush said. “That's the real part of football that people overlook. You've got guys who have been in the league 10 years that never take a snap on offense or defense. It's a special group of guys.”Bush was credited with 11 tackles as a rookie last season, so the numbers show he is making progress.“I ain't going to talk about me,” Bush said.He means it.“You're not going to get me,” Bush said. “Uh-uh. I've got great people in front of me, Ed Reed and Dawan Landry. Talk to them about it. They're teaching me everything.”It was just a few weeks ago when Bush's No. 5 was retired at West Davidson in a halftime ceremony that brought back memories of his heroics. Then he moved on to Wake Forest and now he's found his spot in the NFL.“Getting to see him play today was surreal,” Barnes said.

Mike Duprez can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 218 or mike.duprez@the-dispatch.com.

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